Encouraging Community Leadership by Example

Our Trustees

Our Trustees see the benefit in giving encouragement and financial support to those many members of our community that struggle to achieve self-set goals. Trustees see the grants as a form of encouragement, a pat on the back, a confidence boost to those that strive for success, whatever the field they have chosen.

Jess Chilton

Jess has been a trustee since 2011 and enjoys supporting motivated youth and helping them reach their personal goals and realise their dreams. Jess lives locally and works in Human Resources. She studied psychology among other subjects at university and has previously worked with children with autism, supporting them with aspects of early education and social integration. She has travelled widely throughout her upbringing and has lived in various countries including Singapore, Malaysia, and the UK, where she also spent time more recently working in London. Jess is starting a new chapter and will be welcoming her first child with her partner Mark at the end of 2013 – a life changing event which will no doubt present its own challenges, but something that she is very much looking forward to.

Richard Kilkenny

Richard Kilkenny, a Chartered Accountant, has a long serving Johnsonville and local area community involvement through family, business, sporting and Rotary Club activities.Prior to the formation of the Johnsonville Youth Grants Trust as the President of the Johnsonville Rotary Club, he assisted with the inaugural Johnsonville Youth Grants Awards and is convinced of the value of visibly encouraging local youth who demonstrate qualities of persistent dedication to develop their talents and share it with others.

Chris Kirk Burnnand

Chris has lived and worked in the Johnsonville-Porirua area since 1955. He currently lives in Porirua and is married to Helen, they have three grown children, Niki, Shelley and Mark.Chris has always had an interest in our community and is currently involved as a Trustee on:

Johnsonville Youth Grants Trust

Whitireia Foundation

Life Education Trust North Wellington

Career Objective:“To enhance the performance and value of organisations and people by contributing practical experience in people management and in establishing corporate and group strategy.”He believes that we enrich ourselves by contributing to the community and its direction in a positive manner.

Helen Kirk-Burnnand

Helen has lived in the Johnsonville and Porirua areas since 1970 with husband Chris. They have three grown children, Niki, Shelley and Mark.A trained nurse Helen’s interests have centred on the family and the community. Active in building good communications and caring for people within the communities where she has lived. Active in ensuring all people can play a role within their communities at whatever level they chose. Helen has been a long-term supporter of many community interests and has played a significant role within Johnsonville Youth Grants for many years.Helen’s involvement from the start has been instrumental in ensuring the longevity and ongoing financial commitment to our wonderful recipients and notes that “just meeting and sharing time with our wonderful recipients gives a true sense of the positive contribution made by so many to our communities”.

Rosemary Trendle

Rosemary has lived in the Johnsonville area since 1972 with husband Neville. They have four adult children.Rosemary’s interests centre around family and sport and all her children are active in sport including soccer, cricket, swimming and netball. As well as providing the usual parental support this led to coaching girls’ cricket at both primary and secondary school level (Level One qualified coach) and a number of roles in the Capital Swim Club.She has been a member of the Ohariu Valley Golf Club for the last 17 years and a member at Shandon for the last 5. Rosemary is currently on the Women’s Midweek Committee at Shandon.Rosemary has worked with children in the area for many years, and expresses that it has been “particularly rewarding to see the talent of our youth and the commitment so many of them make to their community”.

Past Trustee - Neil Livingston

As a “son of Johnsonville” Neil was raised & schooled in the village during the 1950’s.Commencing a retail career with Woolworth’s & transferring to Auckland during the early 70’s, to return to Wellington in the mid 1980’s after adopting the timber and hardware industry as a chosen career.With his wife Maureen & 4 children Neil headed up the old Johnsonville firm of Northern Timber & Hardware Ltd before its demise by fire in the late 1990’s and from the ashes was born the Mitre 10 operation at Crofton Downs.With a strong pride in Johnsonville & wish to offer others the same opportunity that Johnsonville had offered him it was as an easy step to link with another Johnsonville businessman - Chris Kirk-Burnnand in forming Johnsonville Youth Grants Trust.​

"Anyone can give money away or spend it. But to do this, to the right person, at the right time for the right reasons and in the right way is not something easy that anyone can do. This is the challenge our trustees face, and bring their wisdom to.”